AMA: Fastly Senior Director, Global Sales Enablement, Andrew Zinger on Discovery Tactics

Ah...this is a situation every seller with encounter. The way I see it, a good way to phrase a question when you feel a prospect isn’t sharing the full story with you is to ask in a way that encourages them to open up while being non-confrontational. You could say something like: “I want to make sure I fully understand your situation so we can find the best solution. Are there any other challenges or factors we haven’t covered yet that might be important for us to consider?” This approach shows ...Read More

Great question - I think it is just as important to 'disqualify' deals than it is to 'qualify' them in - this allows you to focus on deals that have the greatest opportunity to close. Of course, in order to tell whether you should move on, or dig into a deal, you should consider these factors: • Level of Prospect Engagement – If the prospect is still engaging but seems to be moving without urgency, I would suggest you keep nurturing the opportunity. • Compelling Events – If they have a compellin ...Read More

Great question - I find incorporating customer feedback and the insights you learn from discovery discussions into your sales process is key to driving future engagement and increasing your deal win rates. Here’s how I approach it: 1. Structured Documentation – Ensure your sellers are capturing customer/prospect insights in a standardized way (e.g., using Gong, Salesforce, or methodology templates) to track customer/prospect pain points, priorities, and desired outcomes. 2. Tailor Your Value Pro ...Read More

I am so glad you asked this question - discovery and storytelling is such a huge passion of mine, so happy to share my perspective: Best Practices I See From Top-Performing Sellers 1. Deep Discovery During Every Interaction – High performers never stop doing discovery - every conversation is an opportunity to learn more from your prospects/customers. While doing discovery, they don’t just ask closed ended (yes/no) questions, instead they focus on open-ended questioning (e.g., “Can you tell me mo ...Read More

Here are some of my tips on how to qualify an internal customer champion A true champion should have: 1. Influence – Can they drive internal conversations and decisions? 2. Access – Do they have direct connections to decision-makers? 3. Advocacy – Are they invested in your solution and willing to push for it when you are not in the room? 4. Knowledge – Do they understand the business problem and see your solution as the answer? To validate potential champions, ask questions like: • “Who else nee ...Read More